Tuesday, December 17, 2013

McCune Davis, House Democrats send governor recommendations to improve the Arizona National Guard

McCune Davis, House
Democrats send governor recommendations to improve the Arizona National Guard

STATE
CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Today
Rep. Debbie McCune Davis, D-Phoenix (District 30), and several members of the
Arizona House Democratic Caucus sent the governor recommendations for improving
the Arizona National Guard and assuring its reputation.

McCune Davis
organized a public forum earlier this year after a report from the National
Guard Bureau confirmed incidents of misconduct within the Arizona National Guard,
which were initially uncovered by
the Arizona Republic.

“It was
important for the public to have an opportunity to review and comment on the
National Guard Bureau’s findings,” McCune Davis said.

After the
public forum, McCune Davis and several of her colleagues reviewed the testimony
presented, including the information shared by both current and former members
of the Arizona National Guard. Based on that review, McCune Davis and several
other House Democrats sent the governor the following recommendations:

Create
a position in the executive office which will act as a liaison between the
Guard and the executive branch to manage and review complaints. Criteria
for this position should include military experience and extensive
knowledge of the code of
ethical conduct.

Report
the number of people with active complaints and cases in review outside of
the state to someone designated to meet with those individuals to increase
the understanding of the kind of victimization occurring in each case.

Form
an ombudsman position with the authority to work with federal and state
officials regarding current and future complaints and investigations. The
position would also include the authority to review past and pending
complaints of misconduct regardless of whether they have been addressed.

Issue a report to the Legislature with information about
the number of individuals assaulted, number of overall complaints, and a
status update on all complaints, including those that have received final
disposition. This will allow the state to better monitor and address
national concerns regarding sexual assaults in the military.

“I hope that
Gov. Brewer and the newly appointed adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Michael T.
McGuire, will be committed to restoring the credibility of the organization and
ensuring the safety of our guardsmen. We owe it to them, as well as to all
Arizonans, to make certain that the organization operates at the highest level
of integrity moving forward.”